| I felt so sad watching Sergio Garcia looking so | | | | round. |
| miserable and failing to close out a much needed | | | | So what can I do if I'm feeling in a negative state |
| win in the Wyndham Championship at Greensboro | | | | of mind, I hear you ask? Now that depends on |
| on Sunday. It reminds me of how important our | | | | why you're in a negative state and addressing |
| internal state is to good golf psychology and how | | | | that question would be a good start. But what if |
| we can use self-hypnosis to manage and control | | | | I'm in a really bad state and I just can't get out of |
| our state of mind. | | | | it - I'm so depressed you know, Andrew? |
| One of the fundamentals of modern psychology | | | | Well, if you're familiar with a quick technique for |
| is the idea that whatever we consciously think | | | | taking yourself into self-hypnosis, then use it now. |
| about our unconscious mind does its best to | | | | If not, it really doesn't matter, just quietly take a |
| deliver. This manifests itself in many ways and if | | | | few slow deep breaths while noticing how the air |
| we're consciously looking at something, then | | | | you're breathing in is cooling your body and |
| pretty soon we find ourselves physically heading | | | | calming your mind and the air you're breathing out |
| towards it. | | | | is releasing all the tension from your body. |
| Have you ever noticed, when you're driving along | | | | Now just remember a time in the past when |
| in your car on a wide road, maybe a motorway | | | | you're playing golf really well, enjoying yourself |
| or freeway, and you notice something interesting | | | | and scoring as well as you know you can now. If |
| off in the distance to the right or left, that you | | | | you can't remember a time, just imagine a time |
| suddenly find yourself unconsciously steering | | | | when you might have played and felt that good. |
| towards it? That happens on the golf course if | | | | Now see what you saw when you're playing well, |
| you focus on something that you want to avoid, | | | | imagine the scene like you're seeing it through |
| like a bunker or a water hazard? Have you | | | | your own eyes. Make the picture bright, bold and |
| noticed how you tend to unconsciously hit the ball | | | | active. See all the colour and movement in the |
| directly at the thing you're trying consciously to | | | | picture and amplify it. |
| avoid? | | | | Hear the sounds that you're hearing there, |
| Well, something similar happens if you're not in the | | | | perhaps the sound of the wind or the other |
| right state of mind when you do something that | | | | golfers on the course or the sounds of birds. |
| matters to you. If you're in a good mood or | | | | Notice any particular aromas, perhaps the scent |
| state of mind when you're playing golf, then you | | | | of the freshly cut grass or the smell of your |
| unconsciously tend to play positively, enjoy the | | | | favourite food wafting across the course from |
| game and probably score well. If, like Sergio on | | | | the clubhouse. |
| Sunday, you're in a negative state of mind, then | | | | Remember or imagine the physical feelings of |
| you unconsciously play negatively, get frustrated | | | | warmth or coolness in your body, the weight of |
| with your game and score badly. If you have | | | | your shoes on the ground and, most importantly |
| natural talent, like Sergio, and if you really focus | | | | those good feelings associated with this |
| on a positive result, like he did with his amazing | | | | experience. |
| shot from the bunker on the last hole, you can | | | | Feels good, doesn't it? You're playing golf really |
| still hit some good shots in the middle of a bad | | | | well when you feel this good, aren't you. |